Dominion The House Always Wins -- Darkwire Dominion of Bovo Yagen Hex

[Abel Denko]

B Y O O​

Tag: Meili Feng

Distance.

A valuable resource in the clash of blades had been created in an instant. As Abel's empowered boot slammed onto the rooftop, scattering the pooled waters away from his person, his adversary moved swiftly. Her reflexes were exceptional - so much so that she weaved out of the shockwave's path with relative ease. Though a gap had been created, there was no time for either warrior to contemplate. There was no talking. There was no remorse. There was only instinct. And in the case of Abel, that instinct took full advantage of the circumstances he had created. The rooftop was certainly an iconic scene to behold. Whilst the heavens wept bitter tears, two souls quarreled whilst a bustling city thrived below.

It was pure fortune that the heavens had not seen fit to strike the rooftop with a bolt from above. For most would consider it certain doom for the combatants. Both were slick from the waters. From head to toe, even. And, though Abel had pushed away some of the pooled water at his feet, it would only be a matter of seconds before the ground beneath him was a slipping hazard. Yet, Abel did not any assaults from above - for he had been born for this very moment. His adversary cleared the gap first, taking advantage of her reflexes yet again. Her blade moved, slicing through the raindrops in an arc poised to rend her enemy from hip to shoulder. At first, it would have seemed as though Abel was retreating, for he immediately danced back two paces.

This allowed him to weather the strike - the blow ripped across his cuirass. Her blade would taste his flesh and spill blood.

But this was his opening. He put his all behind his attack.

Electricity pooled at his fingertips and discharged in the blink of an eye. The bolts went wild - seeking the rain, seeking the conductive metal of his opponent's blade, seeking the pooling water beneath their feet. Every inch between them was suddenly electrified. The sensation would be much akin to being struck with a high-grade taser: muscles would betray the body, and the longer the exposure, the more damage could be done. Abel could take it. He was built to withstand the worst that storms could offer. Could his adversary say the same? Was this his moment?

Or was she justice?​

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Location: Party central... carnival/dance
Wearing: Favorite costume
Tagging: Lunara Azure and Bron Vaashe
Posts: 4

"Oh?... "His reply took Karlie back a moment, before realizing she weren't in deep fodder, like she had thought she were.
"OH!..." Whew, that was a relief. And it reflected in her open wide smile.
Of course, she bared her pearly whites as they weren't any longer in danger of meeting the girl's knuckles.

"Haha...sorry, just assumed-" She started to say, easing up on the tension she had expected, before the record needle tore across the happy song...wiping that silly smile clean off her features. If one could have baited Karlie with hook line and sinker, it were Lunara.

Karlie's face dropped like a stone in water.
"...er..wha-.." She couldn't believe it. The hunk... er the guy rather, he just dropped a seismic detonator on the poor angel.
Shiet, this wasn't good. Not good at all, thought Karlie.

Had she caused this?
What actually happened here...or there where she had been by the bar? Karlie were buzzed somewhat (on her third Coruscanti Iced Tea) and had no clue as to how promiscuous she may have come across. Damn...she were just staring, s'all.
But cultures...customs and stuff that she knew varied so greatly across the galaxy that maybe, maybe she had somehow and inadvertently sent out the wrong message by staring at the man...actually his cooler costume, and come across as wanting to replace his current mate.
Of course that had not been her intention, as she were only admiring the hulk in the costume.
Shoot! She must have given the man the eyes then, she reasoned. The infusion of the stimuli (alcohol) were letting her swallow Lunara's hook in deeper and deeper.

Oh Berkana (God) she felt so, so bad. Karlie didn't know what to do, much less say anything as Lunara had totally took her off balance for a moment.

"Oh..no no no...wait... I...I was just admiring your boyfriend-" Yea, at this stage of panic, Karlie's words just weren't making it over as well as she meant them.

"I meant your boyfriend's costume. Really. It's all I was doing-" It were obvious Karlie had taken the entire bait, hook, line and sinker and was floundering like a fish out of water.
Of course, that lasted for like 5 eternal seconds. Seriously, a long arduous five seconds before Karlie registered the wink.

"Huh?...er.." The smile. It were a grift. The girl had pulled a good one on her.
For a few seconds following, as it took a bit for the blonde to realize it were nothing more than a joke, Karlie stood there mouth agape, before relief, embarrassment and the like made her burst out in laughter.

"Oh Berkana (God)... I thought you were serious. You don't know how you almost made me p** ...aherm....you almost made me loose it ...hahaha" She laughed.

Ok, she didn't get the demon part, but nevertheless, Karlie now thought best to introduce herself.
"You got me there for sure...
For what is worth... name's Karlie. I'm from Castagne." she held out her hand to the couple.

 

[Daiya]

Spoiler: ALSO

Location: Luminous Sun's Ever-Summer Casino, Bovo Yagen
Objective: Suspecting the suspicious
Wearing: Jacket, Dress | Zabrak costume (makeup, fake horns), HH Undercover, Sithliner (Lolcat) | DL-13 Holdout Blaster
Tags: Deryn Kaaldos , Cassus Akovin , Danielle Mueller, Calixte Diantha, Palm-Imer , Darth Argentum

No, she wouldn't fold.

That was a loser's tactic, and Daiya was not a loser. Sure, she knew the game was rigged and that by planting herself as a target it was likely she would bust. The difference was that it wouldn't be her fault! If she lost to a rigged system, then that was the fault of the system, and Darkwire was very interested in figuring out what exactly was causing those faults. So there she was, playing the part of the losing hand, without being sore enough to actually fold it.

"Gold's pretty worthless, though," the girl remarked as one of the sore losers quoted some ancient proverb. Flecks of the stuff wasn't uncommon in high-end drinks or the expensive street drugs just to make their customers look wealthy. She didn't understand what the affinity was for the mineral, except for the Corpos to exploit the misguided fascination for it. "Glitter should be pink, really. That's a better color."

The idle chatter didn't stop Daiya from continuing to silently grouse about her cards as the play continued. Nor did it stop her from tracking Cassus with her eyes, following the strange-acting boy as he walked away from the table. There was something very wrong with the pool boy today, she just couldn't put her finger on what. As he stepped behind an obstruction, the girl frowned to herself. She stood up, leaning her head this way and that to try to spot Cassus, but the crowd of people made it impossible to locate him.

"I'll be back, I'm standing this hand," Daiya muttered as she moved back to get a better vantage point. She still didn't fold, it wasn't a loss yet! Bobbing her head as she moved through the crowd, the young shadowrunner caught only glimpses of the pool boy, creeping ever closer to her occasional rival. The girl stopped suddenly, coming up short as she spied a better view of him through the throng of casino-goers, and finding something very wrong about this Cassus.

There was a set of wires coming out of his head!

Daiya may not like Cassus very much, but she knew him well enough. The Cassus she knew was not a cyborg. She crept closer, watching him play with a device in his hand connected to those wires while he walked across the casino floor. He seemed to be headed somewhere, but aside from trying not to collide with anyone, Daiya wasn't paying attention to where.

Finally behind him, the girl made her biggest gamble of the night. She set her jaw and pulled out her holdout blaster. Daiya was pretty sure that weapons were not exactly allowed in the casino, but she kept it close at her side and partially hidden in her jacket sleeve. She could tell by now that the wires were not coming from the boy's mask, but instead straight from his head when the disguise of his glitched out. There was no way this was right.

She pressed the blaster into the small of his back as Daiya gripped the taller boy's shoulder from behind. "Don't turn around. You've been acting really weird tonight, Cassus, and it's freaking me out."

Daiya blinked away a bit of moisture as she spoke slowly, for fear that her voice would catch and give away more than she wanted. She ran her hand up from his shoulder to the wires protruding from his head. "This isn't a standard implant, is it? Did someone do this to you? If you're in there, Cassus, then tell me something only I would know."

 

[Taji Nelson]

The fact someone was trying to track him was not lost on the Vigilante formerly known as the Archer, Taji Nelson. Frowning, he started to attempt to back hack the person trying to trace him. If he was successful he would send a nasty little piece of malware to the individual. This piece of malware would blast the equivalent to to the Narwhal Song as he wasn't compassionate anymore. Corpos had lost the right to his kindness when they had unmasked him all over their planet causing him to have to invent a new piece of tech to replace his old identity with.

Cassus Akovin

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Spoiler

Proximity Alert.

The missive in his mind was a touch too late, as the adolescent hand gripped his shoulder, and she began to speak. A frown set in his face as the female voice made her identity abundantly clear. This potent distraction somehow seemed to manifest itself wherever he went, despite their mutual misgivings.

For one reason or another, there seemed to be some mysterious, invisible attraction between them, a gravity that tugged on their paths to cross.

Or at least, that is what Cassus would think if he were there, their personal relationship having changed since Belazura, an event which extended beyond the Parcellus Minor data-set. Currently, the 'Idyllic Experience' had been disabled in order to better match the typical psychology of Cassus Akovin which operated with the Darkwire organization. The full-copy gathered from Parcellus Minor was deemed too ideologically disparate for a replacement, and was reassigned to hunt down defects and nosey members of interest deemed by The Directive.

This Doppelgänger was of course 'aware' of the Idyllic Experience program, in the sense that it was aware about the fakeness of its memories. The program, however, was administratively locked from those data-sets where its perception was warped from being accessed. It still held the events of Parcellus Minor between the fevers dreams, when Cassus was Cassus and not "Cassus The Son". For example, whenever Cassus had awoke from the dream, or when Cassus realized he was dreaming and discarded the make-believe personality. Even these accessible memories were heavily filtered to remove as many traces of the CYBERDRIVE influence as program engineers could manage.

Integrate.

Alt!Cassus considered the moment and how best to proceed: comment snarkily with dejection at her personal concerns for him, or allow her to say what she wanted? It calculated a 68% probability that Cassus might have responded immediately, but sensing light adrenaline pheromones' and delicate vocal tremors it took a gamble on the 32% probability he would have waited to see what she was getting at before responding.

"You don't know everything about your blue boyfriend as much as you would like to think, Daiya ." Some part of Alt!Cassus wanted to smile, but more of it suppressed the impulse with a deeper scowl.

"There is nothing wrong with implants, my mother is a cyborg. Sometimes you have to-"

Intrusion Detection Warning

Alt!Cassus let the sentence hang for a moment as his facial scowl momentarily turned into a look of sheer confusion. The audio feedback he received from the Tracking FOBB began to play some primitive and obscure series of sounds someone might misconstrue as a musical performance, and the rhythmic pulsing red light seemed to go berserk in sync with the beat of this new auditory anomaly.

"-adapt..." Reclaiming composure, the android continued as programs ran behind his eyes.

"Lance of Dreams, a researcher at iBorg and a friend of the family, provided the service for free." Alt!Cassus initiated a shrug. "Didn't know you were the authority on who gets to have an implant in Darkwire." The boy facsimile turned his head to peer with one eye towards Daiya, and signaled the disguise to drop so that his cold blue iris could look at hers. "Is that okay, Daiya?"

The signal interrupting his tracing program was isolated in this time and quarantined, system resources were reallocated on a running backup that resumed the last known coordinates that had been traced, and uploaded those into the Tracking FOBB, the rhythmic red light and silent auditory feedback resuming its normal patterns. Cut off from the live source, it would be probable that the target may move from the location he was tracking, but it was clear he had somehow caught the attention of his quarry, and that was good enough. Heading towards the last known location would be sufficient for his purposes.

That is, if he can manage to get out of this sticky social situation.

Taji Nelson

 

[Gren Blidh]

​

A lone eye glanced down at the seat Gemma Hentz offered him, and took it. Amidst the vortex of tumult around him, the distant clank of credit chips, the lights and signs that rained neon, Gren Blidh remained still and placid at the bar, as if he was enjoying a drink by his lonesome in the cockpit of his ship.

That is, if he had a ship to call his own. He would get to that soon enough.

Gren's gaze met the barkeep, who had overheard part of their conversation, and after a slight upturn in his lips and eyebrows that silently said "How 'bout it?", the barkeep exhaled through his teeth and turned his shoulder. No free drink for Gren tonight; once again, he found that he lacked the correct anatomy for such a privilege.

"Yes," Gren replied to Gemma simply, turning to face her. His Corellian ale would do just fine tonight; it met his lips and filled his throat with a punch of warmth. But of course, she wanted more answers. So he answered her again.

"By being the best pilot in the galaxy," He said.

It was difficult to tell whether Blidh was jovial or serious; his deep-set blue eye stared at her all the same. Perhaps this rugged nobody of a smuggler really did think he was the best. A certain flame behind his gaze, and the way his cheeks hardened as his mouth formed a slight grin, spoke to something deeper. Maybe Gren Blidh had no idea if he was the best or not, but he would be willing to die to find out.

Nonetheless, he supposed she wanted more answers than that.

"There may be a shorter way through the maw," He obliged her by continuing. "One that nobody knows about yet, because the star charts haven't been updated. Except me. I just need a ship and crew willing to take the risk."

 

[Darkwire Prophet]

At Sun's Ever-Summer Casino that day, gamblers won and lost, but those wearing both orange and black lost the most. It seemed inexplicable, just as hard or clever as they played, the deck was always stacked against them. Was it a particularly cruel joke being played by the casino's management? Or perhaps a money laundering scheme?

For all the efforts of Darkwire and the Confederacy to sniff out the answers, nothing really came of it. After a few days, the casino returned to its expected pattern of an equal-opportunity exploiter, gladly swindling the life savings of anyone who walked through its doors. In the end, the spooky significance of orange and black colors would remain an unsettling mystery, yet another frustration for those armchair conspiracy theorists of the galaxy to puzzle out on a long winter's night.

Perhaps someone will discover the answer, but don't bet on it.

While many attendees to the party that day dressed up in costumes, there were five notable entries for the judges to consider as finalists. Their costumes were diverse in both creativity and skill level, giving the judges a very difficult choice to make.

Finally, the judges had an announcement to make and did so over the casino's PA system: "The costume contest has concluded and our best costume tonight is: Cay-sus —Cassus? Sorry if I'm not saying this right— Akovin. Would Cay-sus Akovin please come to the front desk to collect the prize?"

OOC: Thanks to all who took part:
Abel Denko Alistair Key Darth Argentum Bron Vaashe Cassus Akovin Calixte Diantha Daiya Danielle Mueller Deryn Kaaldos Gemma Hentz Gren Blidh John Locke Rika Judah Lesan Karlie Lynn Destat Kittani Eris Lunara Azure Magena Dray Meili Feng Mr. Antilles Palm-Imer Ruby Jaxx Taji Nelson Talohn Atar Yula Perl Zlova Rue

 

[Talohn Atar]

He looks up at her as that hand goes around the back his neck. He's not used to this sort of directness, so he's not sure whether to be happy that she likes his fur....or be concerned. Either way, the pretty Twi'lek is offering to dance with him. He'd be a fool to refuse that. "Well, the pretty twi'lek says dance. Guess I have to dance." He chuckles, allowing her to take his hand and pull her along. Internally, he's still wary. But enjoying himself a little couldn't hurt. "Ahh...Nar shadaa. I love Nar Shadaa. My kinda cesspool. y'know? It's badness has a certain charm to it." He nods, looking nostalgic as they step onto the dance floor.

It's then that she asks an interesting question. "Ah, Madlad. He doesn't want to rip a circuit." He chuckles, scratching his head. "I made that droid when I was 19 years old, have been upgrading him ever since." She may notice he's using pronouns other than 'it'. Referring to it like a sentient being. "So, I'm very bad at the mental programming part of droid creation. Terrible. I've actually sworn never to touch it again after I made Madlad." He looks back at the droid momentarily, who is still standing by. "I messed up something in his mental programming so bad that he circled right back around to becoming sentient. This isn't just speculation. He has passed the test. That droid? Mnetally, he's just as alive as you or I. Course, his mental programming is still flawed, y'see. With that sentience comes a bloodlust that could give the Amalgam a run for her money. But...I wouldn't change anything about him. He still feels love for family, and he's like a brother to me. A mechanical warmongering brother..." He chuckles. "But a brother nonetheless. Mind you, he can't so much as touch a soul without my say so. It's in the programming."

Course, this might be an absolutely terrifying concept to a force users. Droids aren't intimidating mostly because they follow orders, are straightforward, only do what is programmed. A sentient droid is something they cannot read, and they cannot mind trick. Something that's completely disconnected from the force, even immune to it in some cases, and to top it off, that thing is the lovechild between sentience, and speedy computer processing. That droid is a force of science on it's own.

Suddenly, the droid calls out. "HEY TALOHN, DO THE THING!"

Talohn peers back at Madlad, squinting a bit. "I don't want to do the thing! It hurts my back!"

The droid responds with a chuckle. "It's the only chance a boring tech obsessed cat like you has of impressing the sith girl over there!"

Talohn throws his hands in the air, exasperated. "Fine.....I'll do the damn thing." He steps back for a moment, urging some people to clear out of his way. Once he's got a proper spot, he proceeds to do a backflip that ends in a handstand, which then proceeds into a sort of spinning move where he plants his hands on the ground and uses the leverage of his legs to keep himself from falling over.

Metal dinging can be heard as the droid claps.

Yula Perl Zlova Rue

 

[Daiya]

Spoiler: ALSO

Location: Luminous Sun's Ever-Summer Casino, Bovo Yagen
Objective: Getting out of an ugly situation
Wearing: Jacket, Dress | Zabrak costume (makeup, fake horns), HH Undercover, Sithliner (Lolcat) | DL-13 Holdout Blaster
Tags: Cassus Akovin

Cassus wasn't turning around. Maybe he couldn't, and the girl feared that whatever had forced the implant in him was also controlling his actions. The Cassus she knew was haughty and smug, and would relish the chance to see the confusion in her face. Or, given their last close encounter, she might have expected the more sullen and vulnerable boy, who ached for any measure of reassurance and comfort in the eyes of another being. But this Cassus didn't seem like either of those, he seemed different this time. Maybe this time, he simply wouldn't turn around.

That rattled her, but not as much as the words she heard next. Daiya gasped at the taudry mention of a blue boyfriend. She had never wanted to relive that embarrassing moment again, the fake memories of the trip on Parcellus Minor had plagued the teen enough in her own thoughts and dreams. Her shock boiled into anger as she narrowed her eyes at the pool boy's back. "I thought we agreed never to talk about that again," she hissed, hurt and contempt mixed together in a low voice. "I should shoot you anyway just for that!"

Her feet itched. Daiya wanted to run from here, to find a place to herself away from all these people. She couldn't face them now, not after Cassus brought back that humiliating time. It didn't make sense to her, either, why that illusionary life gave her a boyfriend. Much less why it happened to be a Pantoran version of Cassus! It wasn't her fault, she wasn't in control of that, and he knew it.

Daiya tried to think of something insulting to say in response, but her words failed her. All she could do was listen while this spiteful version of Cassus went on about his new implant.

Then she felt bad. He mentioned his mother, and how she was a cyborg, and all at once it came crashing down on the young shadowrunner. Of course he had gotten an implant, so he could be just like her. To honor her, in what few ways he could anymore. Daiya couldn't meet the eye that turned back to look at her, tossing her gaze down to her feet. "Oh, Cassus, your mother...I'm sorry, I didn't th—"

Her stumbling apology was interrupted by the loudspeaker in the casino, starting up with three tones increasing in pitch before a voice broke through the chilling silence, "The costume contest has concluded and our best costume tonight is: Cay-sus —Cassus? Sorry if I'm not saying this right— Akovin. Would Cay-sus Akovin please come to the front desk to collect the prize?"

Daiya twitched at that, bringing her head up to look at the ceiling, as if the disembodied voice lived there. Then she looked at Cassus, his actual body visible again from the atrocious insect costume he had crafted for the night. That had just won the contest for the night. The teen felt the heat rise on her cheeks, glancing back to the pazaak table where the dealer was gathering up the cards from the game she had left.

Why did this happen every time? Whenever Cassus showed up, she wound up manipulated, tricked, and losing out to him!

"I don't know why I ever feel sorry for you," Daiya spat, her voice wavering at the edge of rage. More than anger at Cassus, the girl was angry at herself. For letting herself get played like a hand of cards. The boy was something she could focus her anger towards, as her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed at him. She was tempted to pull the trigger anyway, but Daiya knew it wouldn't help. Her only weapon left was her words, "You really are a hideous person, Cassus, you know that? No wonder you wear a mask!"

With a huff, Daiya stalked off toward the exit, leaving behind Cassus and all the ugly emotions he stirred up.

 

[Zlova Rue]

Zlova smiled back at Talohn as he 'reminisced' about Nar Shaddaa. Not that she was one to judge about what it meant if you liked the smuggler's moon. She still visited from time to time because no one cared who you were or what you wanted -- only how fat your purse was, and how likely you were to double cross them. Wonderful place to lose one's self. Nearly worked too until a certain Henna Ga'yali showed up, and needed a daring rescue from a galant Taramaz Arcturus.

It was a bit surprising to learn the man before her had invented the droid. Not only built it but programmed it. Didn't strike her as the shut-in obsessed with perfection necessary to fashion something so complex. Claimed the sentience was a mistake. Well, many great deeds often were; just happened that over time everyone forgot the truth or witnesses weren't aware of just how unplanned everything had truly been. Too impressive not to be intentional -- was almost always the other way around.

A capable man then. And at the droid's insistence, a seemingly limber and coordinated one as well. Perhaps stereotypes of the feline variety weren't misleading after all.

That too would have been more impressive if he hadn't shouted the bit about the back, however. Everyone had their vices. Lack of a filter or being honest to a fault might be Talohn's, though she wouldn't make the mistake of trusting everything he said.

Zlova clapped as she nodded and gave a few shrill whistles in response. "Outstanding. Ever tried shooting a blaster with your feet? Bet that'd kill entire crowds."

"So," she asked as she waited for him to get back on his feet, "do you hard, fast, and wild dancing," similar to his 'thing,' "or more intimate forms?" The Twi'lek closed the distance in order to reach out to take his hand and pull him in closer. "We could always mix them together. If you don't mind colliding with others around us." She certainly wouldn't. Might cause a fight -- always fun.

Tag: Talohn Atar | Yula Perl

 

[Talohn Atar]

Talohn finally ends his move by placing both his hands off of the ground mid cycle and pushing up to do a flip in the air and land on his feet. After landing, he stands there in shock for a minute. "....Sweet, I didn't hit my forehead on the floor mid flip this time." It seems he's got no filter. He's certainly goofy for a mandalorian. It's hard to imagine him actually killing someone. Yet it seems he has, plenty of times. Wouldn't be a mandalorian otherwise.

"Toes aren't long enough to hold a blaster sadly. I'm more cat than primate." He chuckles, a bit, returning her humor. "Plus, doing that move in full beskar? I don't think it's possible." Taking a moment to stretch himself, an audible pop emits from his back, and he looks around himself, embarrassed. One could perhaps call him charming, in a goofy way. "Honestly, the wild dancing? That's the only dancing I can do properly, picked it up on corellia. I know catharese tribal dances, but this isn't the kind of joint for that." He allows her to take his hand, though instead of letting her pull him in, he pulls her closer to him, and her arm upward, so she ends up doing a little spin as she comes closer. He looks surprised. "Huh, that's how it goes. I didn't know it was that easy." He chuckles. "Anyways....Feel free to show me whatever. I'm always looking to learn, a fight might be fun as well, though we'll have to leave out the droid, or there will be a splash zone."

Zlova Rue Yula Perl

 

[Zlova Rue]

"No," Zlova replied to Talohn's remark about such a feat being done in beskar, "it's necessary." One corner of her lips was drawn up and back, quite eager to see someone do something so outrageous.

Talohn's assertiveness did mildly surprise the Twi'lek that had yet to see something as forward from the man so far. Still with the commentary, but he wasn't a hopeless cause. "Go ohsi dan t'ari bo kulklez?" <Aren't you full of surprises?> Zlova said in her 'native' tongue. Really, High Sith was more native to her tongue than the language of Ryloth.

"Getting wet is one of the perks." Admittedly, showering in the blood of your enemies was... an acquired taste. A Mandalorian was more apt to appreciate the thought. They weren't blood thirsty, merely devoted to their craft and if that involved bisecting or exploding your opponent that's just what you did. "Let's live it up."

The Lethan's hips began to undulate side to side as her arms rolled up into the air. Zlova didn't bother trying to put distance between them before she began. A step or two back to open up the floor would follow, but not because she wanted her space. It was hardly to appreciate your partner when all you could see was their face. Despite what Jedi said. If appearances weren't so important why did half the galaxy try enslaving Twi'lek every chance they got?

Tag: Talohn Atar

 

[Talohn Atar]

"Fair enough. It's not like I can disregard the mere power and absolute valor that is in performing such a great trick." He says, chuckling to himself a bit. "I'd say I am. Wouldn't be alive right now if I didn't always have a trick up my sleeve." Seems he understands rylothian to a certain extent. Sad story behind that, really. Tried learning the language to impress a twi'lek girl who had charmed him. He was fresh off of cathar, young and foolish. On the girl's part? She was heartbreakingly not interested. He himself couldn't learn the language all the way, but he could understand it to an extent!

When she responds to his splash zone comment, he smiles ever so slightly, whichs shows off those large incisors cathar are known for. Most find it slightly scary, knowing he could rip off a hand with just his mouth. "I myself can't get blood on me. When I do I have to hurry and wash it off. I'm covered in a layer of fur, so if the blood dries, it becomes an absolute nightmare to get out. Though on your part, you're already eye catching now. I'm sure showering in crimson could only be an improvement." He compliments. Seems he finds a girl that can rip and tear apart foes to be even more attractive. Strange tastes. Though it makes sense for someone from a warrior race.

He does take a moment to watch her dance. It was hard not to. The he takes in a breath, remembering he's supposed to be dancing as well. He slightly panics internally. All he knows is catharese tribal and the spin move. "I have no idea what I'm doing." He does a flip into the air, jumping over the twie'lek to land right behind her. Once that's done, which he does quite easily, he playfully slides, shuffles, and spins out of her line of sight every time she turns to see him, yet he remains close, she can sense his presence. This goes on for a bit if she doesn't stop it, until he ends it with a spin to the side the results in them both being face to face once again. "Was that dancing? I think it counted? Is there some spreadsheet with requirements I need to look at to see what is and isn't dancing?" He asks jokingly.

Zlova Rue

 

[Zlova Rue]

How strange to be casually discussing dousing one's self in the blood of their enemies. With someone with an insatiable hunger for blood and death, sure, you could find entire planets full of Sith happy to boast about having slaughtered cities' worth of people. Someone like Talohn? Slightly out of balance with galactic norms, but in a different way, it had been a little less expected. Sure, the Cathar were strong people. Carnivorous. You didn't hear people running around screaming about or desperately trying not to be overheard discussing their kind, however. Not like the Sith, or the Hutts; not even like the Wookies where you were politely warned if provoked they'd rip your arm from its socket (and beat you with it).

It was a pleasant strangeness. One of those reasons why she ventured to so many clubs where people weren't afraid of being more open about themselves, and participating in some less... orderly functions.

"That's why Sith love the Lethan for more than their physical allure," Zlova purred. "We're the color they wish blood was so they could paint the land with it and it be unmistakable for any number of other substances. And our enemies can't tell when we're bleeding." She paused to regard the man for a moment. "If we bleed at all." Small joke, of course. Even Red Twi'lek weren't immortal.

The first and second time Talohn played predator Zlova didn't get his game, but after that she began to move, pivot, and slide her legs forward and back to help guide the man. Wherever she wanted him only required a look to where she didn't. A strange dance for an odd pair, but amusing for its novelty. While not a fluid grace from practiced and coordinated movements, the Twi'el was confident enough it had enough structure people could see a dance routine in it.

Once they were facing one another again, Zlova marched straight up to the man -- provided he didn't balk. She'd throw a hand over his shoulder to help hold him fast as she closed the gap. Her forehead touched his as she gazed into his eyes with her own golden rings. "You. Me. Movement. It was dancing. Question is, do you know what happens next?"

Talohn's odd humor had reared its head, but she didn't color the moment remarking on it. They could discuss that any time. Some pointers on social graces. At the moment she felt more inclined to give him the attention others probably refrained due to how untypical his reactions were. After all, he wasn't wrong to question if that was dancing -- but, really, what was dancing? Didn't many of one generation look at the another wondering how there was any sort of choreography or purpose to their moves?

Tag: Talohn Atar

 

[Talohn Atar]

"Ah, I just like lethan cause....Well, no person is the same. But they always have a fire to them, a spark. A charm that I suppose I just can't escape." He chuckles a bit, realizing he's staying stupid shit again. He raises a brow when she states enemies can't tell when they're bleeding. "Most can't. I myself can smell the copper. Copper is an interesting smell, but I'm fine with it, means I'm winnin the fight." He grins.

He speaks about this as they dance, until that final movement when they're once again facing eachother. He looks the littlest bit surprised when she wrapped an arm about him to bring him close. His orange eyes look into hers as they touch forehead. He always had a weakness for those yellow eyes, such a beautiful and expressive color, he found himself staring into them. "I suppose it was dancing. Yes uh...." He takes a moment to compose himself, he didn't expect things to go this way. Though, her certainly didn't mind.

If she does retaliate, the arm about his shoulder is returned with an arm about her waist as they gently circle about, still forehead to forehead. "Hmm...I could make some guesses about what's next." He smirks playfully. "But I don't like to make predictions about the future. The surprise is the fun part, right?" He states, leaning in a bit so they are now nose to nose, though he doesn't go in any further, because by god he would feel so awkward if he was picking up the wrong message. "You're pretty, though that's something you've heard before. Your eyes.....In my opinion, they're the most stunning part."

Meanwhile, Madlad gently slams it's fist on the counter. "Good gods, he actually said that. This idiot is going to get himself stabbed. I wish I could drink."

Zlova Rue

 

[Zlova Rue]

Zlova's smile spread as the man sought to read the moment. Careful, measured responses to her less subtle approach earlier. A dose of humor followed, as was his norm. Others like herself would have been beyond exasperated by this point, but then the Twi'lek enjoyed a challenge. You didn't become a Sith Lord sitting around reading holonovels.

"Really?" A little compliment never hurt. "In that case," Zlova slowly tilted her head and inched their lips ever so closer, "you have something to look forward to again."

Here's a question a droid might ponder in his free time: how did Sith Lords flirt? What constituted a tease, and could you tell it apart from a genuine attempt to kill someone? It was worth contemplating, because Zlova hadn't forgotten what the two of them had said earlier. And in case Talohn had gotten swept up in the moment, well it wouldn't be hard for him to remember...

Her hand slid back from behind his neck and lay atop his shoulder as their lips were less than an inch apart. Now was the perfect moment to shove Talohn backwards into the flank of an orange Dowutin. The Twi'lek grinned in the bat of an eye it would take for the collision.

Now, Dowutin could live a long time. Which meant they might be less inclined to take a bump the wrong way. This one? Not an old and wise one. Zlova had an eye for knowing who to pick on for a fight -- or who to avoid so undue attention wasn't brought on her. Young and eager to impress as most other species, she had hopes for a little tussle. It's what they'd talked about, right? She never said there'd be warning when it happened.

If he wanted to truly impress her, he'd manage to get out of this sticky situation in one piece and alive. Then they could find somewhere less noisy to continue their little... conversation.

Tag: Talohn Atar

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Spoiler

Pause.

And pause this simulacrum of Cassus Akovin did. There was a moment, just a moment, where the infiltrator thought its ploy had been successful in winning the sympathy of its targets youthful antagonistic companion. One useful piece of data gained of course was that it, like other members of its kind, could successfully hold intimate personal secrets of Darkwire members and use them to ingratiate their trust in certain circumstances.

Or at least, marked specific Shadowrunners as vulnerable to that kind of manipulation.

However, the ploy seemed to fizzle immediately as, against most odds the creativity of a droid pretending to be a real boy had managed to win in a costume contest. A highly unexpected turn of events. Something about the coincidence seemed to have trigger some emotion within the girl, as in a state most perturbed she left him in a huff. Somehow this turn of events became a mixed bag of fortunes: it lost the attention of the girl in exchange for the attention of everyone in the Casino.

"See you around." It voiced essentially to itself, as Daiya at that point was too far away for it to be heard. The costume disguise flickered on.

Abort Target.
Transmit mission data to secondary unit.
Decrease profile.
Data transmitting...

The data cables retracted into the Doppleganger's skull, and the boy walked with the equal parts adoration and jealousy of other costume contestants and observing guests of the casino, content in the reverie of their games and carnal pleasures.

Approaching the Front Desk, the youth was not a Bounty Hunter any longer, but merely a boy.

"It's pronounced Cass-us, by the way. I'll take the reward in Cash Vouchers."

A boy with invisible strings.

To be continued...

Taji Nelson

 

[Talohn Atar]

Talohn already senses something wrong with the situation. There's no way a girl with this much fire burning within her would make it this easy, though he decides to indulge her, see what happens. You never know what the future holds after all, and he loved an adventure. Plus, the existence of Madlad nearby certainly was helpful. The droid would aid if things got too dicey.

Just before their lips meet, he's pushed back as he staggers a little, back bumping into the massive being behind him. The cathar looks behind himself as the beast of a man turns about to face him, grunting with distaste. His gaze then moves back to Zlova. "You're lucky I find the ability to scheme charming." He states, still able to keep up his humor despite the possibly life threatening situation. It's then that Zlova would experience something remarkable. Talohn doesn't even look behind himself as the hulk of a man reaches to grab his head, yet he ducks out of the way. In that moment, Zlova would sense a spike in the force, an automatic defense mechanism that sharpens Talohn's reflexes. The most absurd part about it is that he isn't even aware of this force power, it's a mechanism he developed by accident.

"Woah!" He states, spinning about to face the big fellow once again. "This isn't the best place for a fight y'kn-" He's interrupted by another punch, which he ducks under once again, squatting down on the ground with his hands on the floor, a stance similar to a sitting cat. As the swinging fist flew over him, Talohn's legs push him off the ground, launching him upward in a powerful jump. Despite some of them having small frames, catharese muscle density was no joke, they were built for killing just as much as any jungle predator. The speed at which Talohn springs himself upward from the ground is a blur, with all the speed of a pouncing nexu. The impact of Talohn's pounce at that velocity is strong enough to knock the Dowutin off it's feet. It actually ends up a foot or so off the ground before hitting the floor flat on it's back, gasping to regain the air Talohn just knocked out while Talohn himself casually sits on it's chest, legs criss cross.

"Cause anymore trouble and I'll collapse your chest instead of just hitting it. Sorry I bumped into ya pal." He smiles, giving a mock salute as he stands up. The fact that something so small just knocked the big fellow on his ass should hopefully be enough to make him back off. Dusting the suit, Talohn makes his way back over to Zlova, a brow raised. "You normally throw people face first into strength contests?"

This entire time, the sith would notice the droid hadn't prepared itself to save Talohn, as if it already knew this was in Talohn's range of skill.

Zlova Rue

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Location: Party central... carnival/dance
Wearing: Favorite costume
Tagging: Lunara Azure and Bron Vaashe
Posts: 5

"Lunara and Bron... well, it's a pleasure to meet you two." Karlie replied, realizing that although the two certainly could pull off being an established couple, were actually not. They were however two close and trusted friends.

She wondered if it were in the same line as her Li'Ves friends...one being much closer than a friend. But all in all, she wondered if these two shared the same kind of trust as she did with Nine Li'Ve's daughters. That kind of trust were absolute, despite the fact that the Li'Ves were unconventional in every aspect of the word human. Still, Karlie had become attached to the Li'Ves and was now part of their family. Of course she had her own family...a father of course and in some ways, a mother still. But the mother aspect of it was a bit hard to swallow being that Karlie's mother wanted her to cease existence as she knew it. Basically Karlie's mother had been after her skin for some time.. literally. Darth Riggor was what her mother Karla was really, and she wanted to-

"Huh?..wha?..." Karlie had for a moment drifted away before she were pulled back into the now.

"Oh I'm sorry...I was just in deep thought. happens a lot when ...when drinking." She replied, lifting her nearly empty glass of Coruscanti Iced tea.
"Mind just wanders, you know..."
Yep, the blonde then slurped the remainder of it.

"Ahh... looks like time for another refill.
Excuse me while I hit the pits.... haha..." And with that, she headed back to the nearest bar for another Coruscanti Iced Tea.

As one would guess, the blond on her forth concoction of a mixed drink that most certainly was known for it's two day hangover after the facts, was...was a few sheets in the wind already.
She had plainly forgotten to head back to Lunara and Bron.
To be honest, it wasn't intentional, nor were it an excuse to book from the party of two. It was the alcohol which somehow whitewashed her current memory and somehow got her on towards the card tables.

"Oooh...this is an easy game..." She spoke out loud...not to anyone in particular but her self.
"How could you possibly want a 'hit-" she were saying when one of the gambling pit boss motioned her to 'Shhhh...please mam, no hackling the players'
Karlie you see were a kind of prodigy... a mathematical genius. It were hereditary...something by which had been locked into her genes. In reality, she were spawned by Darth Riggor to be 'Ready to Wear'...to have Karlie's mother slip into her daughter's body. But that story is far far too long to drag it into this current dom.

"Oops...sorry....just that-
~sigh~
Ok ok... zipping it." She motioned shutting up.

Still, she just couldn't understand as to anyone not being able to count these simple cards. Like... what, they only seemed to be playing with 10 decks at any given time at this table for Berkana (God) Sake.

 

[Zlova Rue]

"I'd be lucky either way," Zlova replied without hesitation. Lucky that he liked her. Lucky that he hated her. Really, the only way for the night to end poorly was if nothing interesting happened at all. There was nothing worse than banal, rote, mediocre, or forgettable. A woman like her didn't yearn for a nice, quiet place where she could sit and watch the sun set. The sun would be over the horizon before she even knew it had begun to set when her time came. "Loo lordiru." <Good luck.>

Naturally his evening companion didn't move a muscle to help. Like his bot there. Neither felt this was beyond his means. After all, if Zlova had wanted the man dead she'd have done it herself. Though if he had disappointed her and ended up a smear on the floor... Well, you win some, lose some.

"No," the Twi'lek paused just a second to smile. "I'm usually far less playful about it." She leaned to one side to regard the little giant. "I was wrong. He was too young. Not that most could say they stood a chance against a Mandalorian in combat." A few cultures served as worthy opponents to their kind, but only a few. The rest just got lucky. Usually overwhelming numbers.

"Drink?" Zlova shot him a wink before she turned to lead the way back to the bar. Perhaps a little more lubrication before the next round. "All that jumping around was making me thirsty." An acrobatic combatant. A touch annoying in battle because you usually didn't get the in-your-face dueling experience, but it was a valid strategy. Whatever let you walk away alive and your opponent dead was a valid strategy.

Tag: Talohn Atar